/**
 *
 * © Bahadir Zeren 2011
 * bzeren@gmail.com
 * No warranties, express or implied, are made for this program.
 *
 */
package org.baatar.opt.genetic.crossover;

import java.io.Serializable;
import java.util.List;
import org.baatar.opt.genetic.chromosome.IChromosome;

/**
 * Interface for the crossover operators.
 * 
 * @author Ba
 */
public interface ICrossoverOperator<T> extends Serializable {
    /**
     * Performs crossover operation according to the algorithm in the 
     * implementing class.
     * 
     * @param mother first candidate of the crossover operation.
     * @param father second candidate of the crossover operation.
     * @param worstFitness the worst fitness value of the current population.
     * 
     * @return List<IChromosome> list of generated child chromosome.
     * 
     * @throws CloneNotSupportedException is trown if chromosome objects do not
     * implement Cloneable interface
     */
    public List<IChromosome<T>> crossover(IChromosome<T> mother,
                                             IChromosome<T> father,
                                                double worstFitness) throws CloneNotSupportedException;
}
